Closed environments such as storage cases for instruments, particularly stringed instruments, cigars or other tobacco products require controlling of the relative humidity levels within the closed environments to optimally maintain the assets stored or housed therein.
In the case of musical instruments, atmospheric humidity can affect the lifespan and sound quality for stringed, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. The presence or absence of optimal humidity levels can lead to swelling, splits, cracks, checking, movement in joins and general distortion of materials susceptible to too much or too little humidity.
Similarly, too much or too little atmospheric humidity can adversely affect the quality and/or lifespan of stored cigars or other tobacco products. Thus, humidors are provided to assist in maintaining not only humidity levels, but also temperature levels, within a desired range.
Humidity controllers are known in the art and may be considered for use in conjunction with the present invention. Particularly effective humidity controllers are marked by Boveda, Inc., and are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,936,178 and 8,748,723, the full disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,717, also incorporated in its entirety by reference. Generally, however, any humidity controller may be suitable for operation with the present invention as described and claimed.
Also known to the skilled artisan are systems and methods for wirelessly transmitting sensed humidity data, obtained within a closed environment by known humidity sensors, via a communication system for remote viewing by a user on a computing device such as a computer, tablet, and/or a smartphone.
There are, however, no known systems or methods that provide a predictive notification and automated purchase of an optimal humidity controller designed to maintain humidity levels for a specific type of asset. Further, there are no known systems or methods that predict and automatically set a replacement frequency for identifying and purchasing an optimal humidity controller for a specific asset type.